Tufted fabrics with taped edges and method of making the same



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March 12, 1957 TUFTED AND M United States Patent TUFTED FABRICS WITHTAPED EDGES AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAlVlE William Ebersold,Norristown, Pa., assignor to James Lees and Sons Company, Bridgeport,Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application April 3, 1953, Serial No.346,739

6 Claims. (Cl. 2-278) This invention relates to rugs, carpets or thelike and more particularly to rugs, carpets or the like of the tuftedtype.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a rug of the tuftedtype wherein the side edges are substantially straight and parallel toone another.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine for makingrugs of the tufted type which will produce rugs with side edges that aresubstantially straight and parallel to one another. Y

A still further object of the invention is to devise a method for makingrugs of the tufted type, having side edges that are substantiallystraight and parallel to one another.

yThe fabric backing 1,sed in making tufted type rugs frequently isreceivg/om the manufacturer with undulating selvage edges. Consequently,it is ditlicult to obtain a finished product with exactly paralleledges. Furthermore, the edges of the fabric tend to shift laterally ofthe needles during the tufting operation with the result that thetufting yarn becomes clogged and snarled, because the needles having nobacking to pierce form successive unsecured loops on their under side ofthe fabric backing. The only solution to this problem known prior to thepresent invention has been to adjust the position of the backing rollwith respect to the tufting machine, so that variations in width of thefabric backing can be compensated for by moving the backing beneath theneedles, as necessary. The disadvantage of this method is thatfrequently substantial quantities of the fabric backing are fed into thetufting machine before the backing roll can be adjusted.

This invention contemplates the provision of compensating means on thetufting machine to assure a product having exactly parallel edges. Themachine used in the present invention is fully described in applicantscopending application Serial No. 346,740, filed April 3, 1953. Referenceis made to that application for details of the tufting machine.

A more particular object of the invention is to provide tape means foreach edge of the fabric backing, the tape means being secured by tuftingto the backing in such a manner that parallel edges result.

These and other objects of the invention and the various features anddetails of construction and operation thereof are more fully set forthhereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. l is a plan view of the present invention modified in part todisclose certain of the elements more clearly;

Fig. 2 is a view taken substantially on line 2-2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a View taken substantially on line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a view taken substantially on line 4-4 of Fig. l, and

Fig. 5 is a view of a modified form of the invention.

With reference to the drawings the machine for making rugs of the tuftedtype therein illustrated comprises a Patented Mar. 12, 1957 ice spreaderroller 1, a pin roller 2, tape folding horns 3 and tape adjusting means4. All of these elements are collated to effect a result that will beapparent hereinafter. The details of the tufting operation are disclosedin applicants above identified copending application.

The backing fabric 5 is fed from a roll, not shown, by the action of thepower actuated pin roller 2. Interposed between the roll and the pinroller 2 is a spreader roller 1 which has outwardly directed helicalindentations in the surface thereof to stretch the fabric backinglaterally towards each marginal edge. Tapes 6 are fed from suitablymounted rolls, not shown, in a direction perpendicular to the directionof feed of the fabric backing. Adjacent each marginal edge of the fabricbacking 5 is mounted a horn 3 whichengages the tapes and changes theirdirection of travel so that they are then fed substantially parallel tothe fabric backing.

The adjusting means 4 are constructed and arranged to receive the tapes6, to fold them double, and to maintain them in spaced parallelrelation. It will be understood that the folded tapes envelop theundulating marginal edges of the fabric backing so that the variationsin width of the backing are concealed within the parallel tapes. Afterthe tapes engage the adjusting means the fabric backing together withthe tapes are fed into engagement with tufting needles, not shown, sothat thev entire width of the backing fabric including the tapes istufted and no other means is necessary to secure the tapes tothebacking. j Y f' rThe particular construction of the adjusting means isEshown in Fig. 3 wherein a bar 7, adjustably secured t` one end by anysuitable means, such as byslot and bolt, extends laterally towards amarginal edge of the backing fabric and is provided at its other endwith a clip, generally designated by reference numeral 8 and comprisingspaced parallel legs 9 and 10 respectively and an intermediate leg 11joined to the leg 9 along one edge thereof by the curved portion 12. Asimilar curved portion joins the opposite edge of leg 9 to acorresponding edge of leg 10. It will be apparent that the outermostedge of the leg 11 engages the tape 6 and cooperates with the legs 9 and10 to fold the tape double. The marginal edges of the fabric backing 5are received within the fold thus formed and the fabric backing alongwith the tapes is fed into the tufting machine. The distance between thelegs 11 of the respective opposed adjusting means remains constant whilevariations in the width of the fabric backing are concealed in the fold.

A modification of the invention is disclosed in Fig. 5 in which unfoldedtapes 13 are arranged with respect to the marginal edges of the fabricbacking so that the finished product has parallel side edges. It will benoted that the rug of Fig. 5 can readily be made by feeding the tapesfrom overhead rollers, not shown, so that they are fed between legs 9and 11 of the adjusting means.

Since the distance between the curved portions 12 of the respectiveopposed adjusting means remains as predetermined, the tapes of thefinished rug will be parallel.

A latex coating 16 is then applied to the entire underl side of the rugthus formed to secure the tufts in placer and to eliminate slippage whenthe rug is used.

I claim:

l. A tufted pile fabric comprising a backing havingside edges, a tapeoverlying said edges, and a series of pile yarns, said pile yarns lyingflush in parallel relation; I

intervals along its length to form pile projections on the opposite facethereof and secure the tape to said backing, said projections being inlateral alignment with the projections of the remaining pile yarns ofsaid series.

2. A fabric according to claim 1 wherein said tapes are folded over uponthemselves to embrace said side edges of the backing, the folded edgesof the tape being the free edges thereof paralleling the pile yarns.

3. A method for making tufted pile fabrics from backing havingundulating edges comprising the steps of laterally tensioning thebacking, applying a tape along each kof said undulating side edges inoverlapping rela tion thereto with the outermost free edges of saidtapes inV spaced parallel relation, arranging a series of parallellongitudinal pile yarns on one face of said backing parallel to saidfree edges of the tape, and projecting simultaneously portions of eachpile yarn through said backing and said tapes across the entire width ofthe fabric including said tapes to secure the latter in place.

4. In a method for making tufted pile fabrics with a backing, the stepsof laterally tensioning the backing, enveloping the marginal edges ofsaid backing with folded tapes, disposing the folded edges of the tapesin spaced parallel relation, arranging a series of parallel longitudinalpile yarns on said backing and tapes parallel to said folded edges, andprojecting simultaneously portions of each pile yarn through the fabricto form transverse rows of tufts extending across its entire widthincluding said folded tapes to secure the latter in place.

5. A tufted pile fabric composing a lrst ply of backing material havingside edges, a second ply of backing materialv folded over and embracingeach of said side edges of the first ply to form at least triple plymarginal portions, the outermost folds of said second plies beingstraight and constituting the outermost side edges of the pile fabric, aseries of pile yarns each lying in parallel relation to said outermostside edges of the fabric against theA first ply of backing and extendingtherethrough at spaced intervals along its length to form pileprojections, selected pile yarns of said series projecting through saidtriple ply portions.

6. A method of making a pile fabric, which comprises the steps ofcontinuously advancing a ply of backing material having side edges inthe direction of its length, continuously advancing a second ply ofbacking material having a straight outer edge and disposing said secondply overlying each edge of said first ply to form at least a double plymarginal portion adjacent each side of the backing, while maintainingthe straight outer edges of said second plies of backing materialparallel to each other and to the line of advance of said plies, andpassing a selected number of pile yarns at intervals simultaneouslythrough said plies of backing to form pile elements projecting in a likenumber of longitudinal rows parallel to said line of advance, the yarnsforming the pile elements in the rows adjacent the lateral edges of thebacking passing through both plies thereof.

References Cited in the ile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,749,118 Wechsler Mar. 4, 1930 1,825,635 Myers Sept. 29, 1931 2,020,892Kadlec Nov. 12, 1935 2,360,398 Case Oct. 17, 1944 2,411,268 Hamrick Nov.19, 1946 2,564,631 Veitch Aug. 14, 1951 2,584,493 Olsen Feb. 5,1952

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